State of play - energy productivity in Australia

Other major economies are well ahead of Australia in increasing energy productivity. Not only is the mean economic value per unit of energy consumed by the Group of 20 (G20) countries higher than for Australia, so too is the G20 mean improvement in energy productivity. Australia must act now to keep pace so that it avoids entrenching competitive disadvantage whilst G20 peers accelerate away.

Australia is coming from a relatively low productivity base, coupled with relatively high real energy prices, so the potential contribution of energy productivity improvement to Australia’s overall economic productivity is now at an historic high. This means that energy, as a production input, now has a more material impact on the profitability of businesses and Australia’s economic growth than ever before.

2xEP current state of play – April 2017

In the three years since our Energy Productivity Forum, the focus on lifting Australia’s languishing energy productivity has gained considerable momentum. Energy productivity (EP), the value we gain from each unit of energy, puts a focus on the value created by using energy effectively – economic outcomes - as well as on technical performance to optimise energy use.

Our aim is doing more, using less. EP actions include reducing energy waste, adopting more efficient technologies and practices, as well as managing the timing of energy demand and installing on-site energy generation where it delivers benefits. The 2xEP program – aiming to double EP between 2010 and 2030 – has brought together a strong coalition of business (associations and individual companies), governments, researchers, and not for profit organisations to achieve this objective.